


When he is the one

by Avalon_Moonshine



Series: The One (s) [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Angst and Tragedy, F/F, F/M, Genderfluid Character, Kinda, M/M, Major Original Character(s), Multi, Original Character-centric, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Prologue, Soul Bond, Unrequited! Harry/Draco, long af
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-22 06:35:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30034557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avalon_Moonshine/pseuds/Avalon_Moonshine
Summary: What's the future of the wizarding world or muggle world to Ri-Ri of the Shapeshifters? Nothing. Not unless it's related to their prophecies.Confined to living in an almost timeless dimension because humans were afraid of the power that the original shapeshifters possessed(or is that true?), the herd of shapeshifters didn't care about what transpires outside their little realm. However, when their respective prophecies are revealed, the shifters' souls move outside their realm. Into human time, the souls watch the people in their prophecies. By the time it's time for their body to be released, they already know the future.ORA story about how a bird can talk to Draco Malfoy and the effects this has on his reputation and heart.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy/Original Character(s), Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Luna Lovegood/Pansy Parkinson, Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger/Original Character(s), Severus Snape/Original Character(s)
Series: The One (s) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2209431





	1. Dangerous Presents

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer:  
> All Harry Potter characters belong to J.K.Rowling, not me. (Otherwise there would be real representation).

The kids in the herd looked up as they felt rather than saw the sun rays. A common occurrence in this realm, they didn't mind it one bit. Never feeling the real warmth of the sun and the real brightness, no one was upset.

Ri-Ri stepped onto the grass, hooves thudding loudly. long neck turning towards the sun, they neighed in happiness. The unicorn form that they were in enabled them to look at all sides around their eyes, no blind spots available. The lake beside the unicorn shone the reflection of the white unicorn. Their horn looked harmless until the sparks started again. The horn shone and sparks came out, illuminating the bare river bed with the few bushes and grass. A tall swirly tree that looked both strong because it was tall and weak because of the missing leaves was right behind the unicorn. They neighed again, signaling for their friends to wake up already.

A small yellow snake rushed out of the bushes, no sound heard, and climbed Ri-Ri's hind leg. The flying snake crept through Ri's body as fast as possible and jumped off the unicorns' horn. Loud crunches began as two other snakes jumped off a tree.

Three snakes transformed mid-air into their original forms. A variant of how humans look but without their defining reproductive members, with no hair on any part of their bodies except their eyebrows and eyelashes.

They stared at Ri as if expecting for another transformation. Ri laughed (as best as their unicorn form would let them).

Standing their ground, Ri stared at their friends in annoyance.

 _Let's go for a run..... Please._ Ri communicated through their mind link to the others.

The three friends shook their heads in disbelief. All that Ri wanted to do was transform into any creature but their original form. Almost like Ri was obsessed with the transforming, Ri never turned into their original form.

Eri shrugged and shifted to their left making space for the others. On cue, they shouted together, "You owe us one, Ri-Ri."

 _All they'll want is a few snacks that mom made,_ Ri laughed.

And once the transformation was over, the bone-crunching sounds ebbing away, Ri took off, followed by their friends.

Running as the sun beat down on their face, they reached the border of their realm. Here there was a transparent divide through which the shapeshifters looked at the animals, creatures, humans, and others that walked too close to the barrier. The kids started their search eagerly, walking along the circular divide.

Eri shouted at the others with excitement filled in their every word, " There's a dog here like the one Paxri showed and told us about!! "

 _This idiot,_ Ri thought in annoyance, _we're here to find new creatures to transform into. Not ones we already know about._

Shaking their mane, Ri trotted towards Eri. The dog better look special.

The sound of a roar made Ri's heart stop for a second. That didn't sound like a dog. Reaching Eri first, Ri noticed that the size of the dog was much larger than the dog they all saw last time. His eyes staring at Eri as if his next meal.

He prowled through the barrier, shoulders hunched and feet stepping toward Eri as if he was dancing with her. Slowly, elegance in every step, he came closer to the unicorn.

Thinking quick, Ri-Ri jumped in the air. Transforming into the same shape as the 'dog', they landed in front of the terrified unicorn.

Feline brown eyes met Ri-Ri's silver-grey eyes. A surprised look crossed the animal's face.

"I've marked this one." Ri pointed at the unicorn.

The kid animal stared for a second before growling, "I'll get the other one then, I smelt one just a second ago!"

Shaking their head, Ri replied, "you won't find any prey animals here because there is a barrier here that helps us keep prey animals off our territory. It's supposed to keep our kind away."

He turned and looked at the swirls around the place he came from. He muttered in annoyance, "Magic destroys everything, mom was right..."

Ri tried to contain their snort of laughter as they shifted, turned to Eri, and said, "That's a lion cub, you idiot. He's a small bean."

Eri huffed in anger as they turned towards home, "And where are those two? Did they run home as soon as I shouted?!"

They stared at each other for a second before bursting into laughs. A baby scared all of them... The outside world did have quite formidable creatures.

Ri-Ri just wasn't ready enough because their brain was filled with awe instead of apprehension about what waited for them.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

_ Outside the Malfoy Manor, 4th June, night _

Ri sat crouching at a bush. They were in a human female form, going by Ria. Apparently, humans use other pronouns than "they" for kids. Ria had, of course, learnt this. But experiencing new pronouns was a lot more fun than Ria had ever thought. In a way, it was different from what Ria experienced when they turned into animals and creatures. Being a human, being female, felt... odd. There were a few Shifters who went by he or she. These were special cases, but they were still family. The Shifters didn't care for gender and it was a spiritual awakening, discovering that you have a gender different from what you thought. It was thought sacred if the identity is found without you ever stepping into the human world. And all Ria knew now was that she liked being a girl.

A girl who was confused right now. She was contemplating something.

She decided that she's going to spend some time with the boy from her prophecy. But she can't present herself as a shapeshifter until she's sure that he won't try to hunt her race. So the question was, a lion or a dog? His birthday is tomorrow...

"Ugg!! What would an 11-year-old boy like? A puppy or a lion cub?!" She shouted in frustration.

A beat passed, nothing happens.

She looked up from her hidden spot and saw a small creature with pointed ears and few clothes, unlike the humans she saw, trembling as they got closer to the manor. Ri sensed that the creature was female.

Turning into a snake, Ri rushed up the iron gate that stood between the female and the house.

A door slammed somewhere and the female cried. A loud voice shouted, "Why the hell don't you have the gifts in your hand?"

Ri turned and saw a huge male with long blond hair. His eyes had the same colour as Ri! But his face was so fierce that she felt scared for a moment. Shifters never felt fear (aunt Sian said so). His pale skin shone under the moon and a stick in his hand glinted under the light. A snake carved onto the stick... Maybe Ri ought to stay in her snake form and present herself as a snake to Draco.

Just as she thought this the female started crying! Why was she crying, Ri wondered? Nothing was happening. No one was hurting her. So, why?

The man stepped as close to the gate as possible and picked the female up by her tattered clothes. The female looked like she was about to faint as she said, "I'm sorry, master. Daisy is sorry for not bringing the present but the man said that he'd send the pet tomorrow at dawn. He said it's a surprise better than you planned and that this was his present."

The man stared for a second as if checking to see if the creature was a liar. Then she was thrown against the ground as if she was a dishrag.

In a rage, Ri crept towards the small creature. _She must be hurt._

Turning around, the man said, " Don't come in tomorrow without a **surprising** gift."

And the door shut loudly again, leaving a snake with a fainted female.

She turned into her human form and healed the poor female as soon as possible. Her light magic came out and the blood on Daisy's hands retracted back to her body. It was as quick as touching her. In ten minutes, the female who called herself Daisy was awake again.

"I can help," said Ri. Cutting straight to the chase. Ri grimaced, _I really need to learn how to talk like a normal human._

Daisy shot back and disappeared. Thinking that the creature was a Chameleon shapeshifter, Ri raised her hands in the air.

She understood that the other shapeshifters(?) must feel inferior to the original ones so, she tried again, coaxing Daisy was the way to go.

"You can gift me," Ri said. "I can turn into a lion cub so, you can say that this is the surprise if you feel like you are in danger."

Daisy having apparated a few meters away, stared at the human child.

She looked at the blood on the child to her hands that looked healed. There was a cloth tied around her injury and Daisy knew that the human was kind.

She went back to the human and asked, "Why? And is your animagus a lion?"

Ri looked straight at Daisy's sad eyes and said, "Because I want to live in that house. It's big." Not a lie, "And if it helps you and Draco, I'll do it."

Daisy didn't look foolish so of course, she would notice that the girl had lied. And she did. She said with a stutter, "Show me the transformation!"

Ri-Ri took a step back because she needed to get out of her clothes. Feeling no shame, she was naked in front of a stranger.

The bone-crushing sounds could only be picked up by people or animals with sensitive ears. By the time she was in her new form, she was the same height as the small creature.

Her instincts told her that being a male would be a benefit in a house where the female Daisy was thrown out.

Ri nudged the female's face to show that she was harmless. It was an instinct of a sort. To provide comfort for the small creature with sad eyes.

She stayed there and analyzed Daisy's body for magic. Surprisingly, the magic that was flowing in the creature was powerful but it didn't feel like it wanted to attack, only disappear again.

Annoyed, Ri stepped back and smiled at Daisy.

"A-a a s-smiling lion!!" Stuttered Daisy.

Turning back into her human form, Ri said in the softest voice she could make, "Lion cub. Looks cute, doesn't he?" Ri took a look at the creature's scarred face and said, "Now, how about you go and bring me a box that's covered in soft green, soft blue, and silver? It's going to need to look pretty enough for these rich people."

Daisy nodded, gratitude shining, and left leaving Ri to think. _It's odd, I couldn't sense relation to this creature. Then, how can she disappear? Has human magic advanced so much? Would it be rude to ask her what she was?_

Not even fifteen minutes passed when Daisy came back.

Before going into the box, Ri said, "Ri of the Shapeshifters will repay you for what you have done."

But the female just smiled. In her head, the female felt sad that such a kind person was going in there, even if as her animagus. But Daisy couldn't say anything because she felt like she needed this.

The lid shut, Daisy touched the box and apparated inside the house, in the hall.

Daisy knew that there were only two ways this present would be received. With hate, because a lion was a pretty scary animal. Or with so much awe that the poor girl would never be able to run. Either way, Daisy would not be questioned and that's what she needed: some time off because she had a child coming.

She was so scared today for both of their lives that she was ready to take any reprieve possible. Even if it were from an eleven year old.

~~

_ That night in the Malfoy Manor. _

"Everyone is asleep", Draco assured himself.

He climbed down the large staircase and reached the dining hall. He needed to look at the presents.

_They had better be worth waking up so early._

The boy with the small arms crashed against something in the dark. The box was eerily large yet somehow he sensed that it was light.

The lid was an inch taller than Draco and he knew he needed to open it otherwise his curiosity wouldn't let him sleep.

He went and grabbed his stool that he used to mount himself up for brushing his teeth. As quietly as possible, he settled the stool near the box.

His mind filled with thoughts about what it could be, he lifted the lid and gasped.

There was a sick thing inside. This had to be a joke. It looked like it hadn't had food for a long time, like Daisy and Dobby.

He didn't need another one of those!

But interestingly, the thing's coat shined like it was new...

_Okay, I'll just have to feed this thing. Can't imagine feeding the house elves and them looking healthy but maybe..._

He reached forward and touched the coat. He moved his hand along with the hair flow and found not one speck of dirt. A smile started to form on Draco's face as he felt the warmth of the thing.

He turned his smiling face towards the face and found startling silver-grey eyes watching him.

The face didn't look so beautiful when the thing opened its mouth and sharp canine teeth came towards Draco.

**_Then_ **

Ri-Ri walked as fast as they could. They needed to reach their mother, and they needed to be there as quick as possible. That's what their friend Sei the rabbit had said.

His voice had sounded quite urgent, too.

Making their way through the tightly knit group, Ri could hear harsh voices. The whispers that they heard made their head spin. Hatred in their stares, the people spoke about how Ri should have died the day they were born. Some of them even said their mother's name, Diane, as if she was **_wrong_** _,_ was the only word that the 10-year-old Ri-Ri could think.

By the time Ri reached the middle of the crowd, their brain was in shambles. Their confused eyes darted every which way to look for the reason they were here. Almost ready to shout for their mother, Ri's eyes finally found her.

Their mother stood beside herd leader Sian, looking stoic. Her face showed no emotion at all. Her pale snake-like shimmering skin looked glorious as if the sun rose just for Ri-Ri's mother.

A couple of other kids her size bumped into Ri-Ri just when leader Sian, voice impassive, said, "Silence!"

The people looked down without a peep. Except for Ri-Ri, that is. They raised their hand, behaving like the crowd was a classroom where you could challenge your teacher.

Sian's eyes showed a softness for a second as she asked, "What is it, child of Diane?"

"Why is mother w-wearing t-those..." Their voice trailing off, Ri-Ri continued forward as if they didn't feel any uncertainty, "things? They look like the things that humans like wrapped on their skin, clothes. Why is she there?"

Stunned, Sian took a step back and thought about how to explain things to a child. She took a second too long. Diane gave a shrill war-cry and jumped towards her kid. She clasped her hands against the child's ear and shouted in an almost animalistic fashion, "No one can tell Ri-Ri!"

People either glared at her or looked away, uncomfortable about the pair's future. Diane didn't care. She would never come back anyway. All that mattered was that her kid was safe.

Sobbing, the mother hugged her child and whispered, "Don't believe any of them except Sian. Promise me!!" Against her shoulder, Diane felt her baby nod in agreement.

She stood suddenly and glared at her sister, "Give my child and I some sympathy. Give us time together while you declare my **_future_** _._ " Seething with venom at the last word, Diane looked at her crying child and wiped away her own tears.

Sian took a sharp breath at this.

She turned and stared at the eager herd of shapeshifters. They wanted her to make the right choice as leader. They also wanted to see the abomination -Diane, Sister of Sian- gone for good. _Such are the people of the Shapeshifters_ thought Sian in disdain.

Shaking her head to dismiss the dark thoughts, Sian looked at her sibling and gave her a nod.

The pair left in a hurry, Diane practically dragging Ri-Ri back to their house.

Just as they turned the corner, Diane grunted, "I'll teach you everything before I leave. I give you my word, Ri. I'll teach you everything."

Before they even reached the house, however, Diane latched onto a tree and climbed to the top. Ri-Ri just shifted into a hawk and flew to Diane. _Mother does hate shifting,_ Ri wondered to themselves as they perched on her hand.

They both looked at the surrounding treetops around them and sighed together. Ri-Ri sighed with love and Diane, distaste.

There was nothing but woods around them. A small clearing shone in the evening moonlight, marking it the only clearance that was there in this realm. The place where Diane's sister was announcing her **_future_**. Hate marred her features as she tried to think of her child's future. _How to start?_ Diane thought and came up with a solution. A second later, Diane shifted for the first time in front of her child into the body that she would rather die in.

_It's time to tell Ri-Ri the truth._

A striking human with olive-green eyes and rosy white skin stared at Ri-Ri. She spoke in a different, higher voice, "I transformed into this girl the second I stepped out into the real world. Through the barrier, that is. My gender shifted into the one that would appeal to my mission. My mission was in the form of a human. That's what's going to happen to you too, Ri-Ri. Don't be afraid. Before you leave, you will be accompanied by the leader on a soul journey to collect your prophecies. Then alone, you will go and live beside the mission as a soul and see what will happen without you. The two prophecies need to be kept in mind while you look at the happenings. One prophecy speaks of what happens to the world around your human and the other speaks of what should happen for you to fulfil the prophecy to make things right. The first prophecy will be a detailed one while on the other hand, the second will speak about or describe the last moment that will mark the end of your mission." Diane paused her rambling to take a deep breath and looked at her child with apprehension, "You'll be sucked back into our realm again. Never to return to the humans if you--"

Diane was interrupted by Sian grabbing onto her leg and pulling her down.

Following their instincts, Ri turned into a chameleon and hid.

Sian laughed as if she found Diane's human appearance funny. Holding down her sister by her throat, she said, "You've gone daft, haven't you sister? All of this mumbling about the mission as if that human you love is the mission of your life." Sian turned, still crouching over her sister, and spoke while staring at the exact spot that invisible Ri-Ri stood, "You don't have to worry, I'll teach Ri-Ri everything that is there to teach. I'll keep them safe with my power and life when they are in our realm. You both have my word."

Diane ceased her struggling and lay still.

They both stared at each other as if they were conversing through mind-link. Sian stared at Diane's eyes for a second. As if memorising their colour. And then the moment was broken when she straightened and said, "Enough time wasted, human lover. Time to walk through the barrier and die!!"

Ri-Ri sat there, wide-eyed as they saw their mother taken to her death. With Ri's aunt's dagger against their mother's throat.

* * * * * * * * * *

_ The Malfoy Manor _

The cold in the dark box was nothing compared to the loneliness that Ri's dream made them feel. Their face contorted with pain, rage, and displeasure when they reached the part where their mother spoke to them on the tree.

 _She was one hate-filled person,_ Ri thought about their mother when they woke up at some noises.

Their face muscles calming down, Ri heard a scraping sound. The box lid slid open, and a small replica of the large man stood there, looking smug.

Ri stared at their mission and thought, _he doesn't look as hateful as his father._

His face showed his emotions way too clearly, and although Ri couldn't understand most because they had entered the human realm just recently, they found that both of them shared one feeling in common.

 _Loneliness,_ Ri mused. They kept on staring at the human face as he extended his arm towards their stomach.

He had a solemn look on his face, and though they didn't have a mind link, Ri knew he was thinking happy thoughts. Maybe for the first time in a long time, too.

 _So this is him, Draco Malfoy, the one I'm supposed to change._ For some reason, change sounded like the wrong word for the innocence in front of them. _Draco Malfoy, the one I'm supposed to protect._ It fit the instinct that Ri felt when they looked at Draco.

Time flickered away as Ri stared at the human. His eyes finally reaching the lion's, he shivered. Thinking that he was cold, Ri grabbed him and hugged the boy.

However, the boy started shivering and shaking like a leaf on a windy night.

Draco couldn't believe that he was going to die so soon. He hadn't even had any real friends, and he was dying. Lying as still as a stone wouldn't help his escape. Terrified, the boy started pushing against the soft fur.

The being pulled back slightly and stared at him. Draco was shocked to see a calm expression and large silver-grey eyes staring at him as if telling him to trust the being. The moment got destroyed, again, when the creature opened his mouth.

Ri-Ri licked the child on his cheek to try to show that the lion was harmless. That the 4-foot tall male lion cub was here to play. Ri exhaled in a purr as they realised that this was futile. Closing their mouth because they suspected that Draco was scared of the teeth more than anything, Ri resigned to hugging the boy a little more before he got so scared, and Ri predicted, shouted like Daisy.

Surprisingly, the boy calmed down and slept in the warm embrace with a smile on his face.

~~

Draco woke up late the next morning and couldn't help but smile. Yesterday, he made his first real friend. Without words spoken, Draco knew that he could trust the animal.

Getting into a sitting position to have a better look at his friend, he gave a silent gasp. Ribs poked out in an unhealthy way, and it looked like there was nothing in the being's stomach for weeks. Draco needed to feed the animal. The being was Draco's responsibility now, and Draco hated being a disappointment.

Draco popped his head out of the box and shouted for assistance, "I need help, mother!"

Narcissa Malfoy stepped into the hall almost immediately, likely searching for Draco for a long time already. She came, pulled him out of the box in a hurry and hugged him. "Where were you? I went to your bed to wake you up, but you weren't there. Your father needed to talk to you, too."

He laughed and said, "I was here, sleeping with my friend. Let's forget about my father. Mother, what does this animal eat?"

She sighed in relief that nothing had happened to her son and stepped towards the box again. Almost immediately-instinctively- she brings out her wand and shouts "Stupefy!"

Exhaling loudly, she turned towards her son. Except, her son wasn't behind her anymore. He had jumped towards the box and was trying to climb into it. He turned towards her and shouted in rage, "Why did you do that, Mother!?

His voice echoed in the large hall as he started crying. Finally reaching by his friend's side, he hugged him and murmured continuously, "It's going to be fine. You'll be fine."

Again and again, Narcissa's son whispered the words. Every time it became harder for her to compute. She'd hurt him. His angry face kept flashing through her mind, and she knew that she'd done something terrible.

Narcissa's mouth was agape, no sound coming. She'd never felt such hate from her son before. She needed to fix this. Thinking quick, she touched her son's arm and said, "I'll make sure that the lion will be okay. I'm sorry, Draco. I didn't know he was your friend. "

Draco stared at her, tear-streaked cheeks and red eyes, and gave a small nod. He shook off his mother, still angry, and went back to hugging his lion.

She stepped back and hid how hurt she was. She said in a soft voice, "The lion will be okay. Now, come. Your father is waiting for you."

Draco stiffened at the mention of his father. He sighed and hung his head in a resigned manner. "Yes, mother."

A second later, Narcissa picked her son up from the box and put him down beside her. Holding out her hand expectantly, she said, "So, don't you want to know what he eats?"

Draco quickly took his mother's hand. Forgetting all about how upset he was, he gave an excited, "Yes!"

Narcissa chuckled and led the way to her husband's library.

_I'm sure that there are some books on lion cubs in our library._


	2. Malfoy Manor and the Mishaps that happen there

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We see how cabable Ri-Ri's training has made them as they try to SPY... Twice...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe its because its a kid-growing-up fic rn but I need to make a connection. As it says in the tags, Long AF prologue.

**_Then_**  
 _The shapeshifters are way too set in their ways_ , Sian thought and for the first time, Diane agreed.

The sisters were speaking through the mind link as they both looked at the children. They were playing in the lake, indirectly practicing how to shift themselves. This taught them to be more agile in the water. Some kids still couldn't shift only one part of their body so, a lot of swans and water snakes could be seen. But, some were such geniuses that they had gills and could transform their lungs to match fishes.

_They excel at all this at such a young age because we know that education is necessary. They can enjoy the summer breeze, the bond that they share with their kin, and a lot more now. Because of the education system that we've established,_ Sian said through mind-link.

Diane scoffed and said, _I hardly doubt that. The library was your idea and I just stood with what would benefit me. All I'm doing is keeping my child away from the other kids. You're their teacher, saviour, and leader. I'm the hidden taint to your reputation. I'm the one who's "cruel" and keeps her child "hidden" for "no reason"._

Sian sighed in hurt and walked towards the lake. Her sister was too bitter. She just couldn't see herself as happy in the shapeshifters realm anymore. _I was complimenting your cunning, you didn't have to be this way. And about your child, Ri-Ri deserves friends!_

Hearing a scoff behind her again, Sian shook her head. The future was her priority and all Diane did was pull Sian back to the past. Sian decided that she would keep away from Diane for a few days, to let the both of them cool down.

Sian shouted to the children, "Alright children, let's take you back to your homes."

The kid's all stopped at the mention of home from their teacher's mouth.

Their dejected faces would have been normal. If they weren't upset about home rather than the thought of leaving their friends.

Their home was where they all listened to terrible tales about humans and the power of their minds. In some homes, parents knackered their children to learn fighting skills at night. While in other homes, worried parents cried. About all the terrible things humans would do to their harmless children.

In their teacher's words, the children didn't like spending time with pessimists.

They all huffed and walked in silence behind their teacher. The more sensible ones, who tried not to let their sadness show, walked with the leader. These children were trying to show their gratitude through silent companionship. They wanted to make sure that their school wasn't taken away. They all loved it at the library and the random places their teacher took them every week.

These kids, as peculiar as it may sound, loved school. Even if the school was just two days a week. One day, they spent getting a private lesson at the leader's library. On the other day, exploring the woods and playing. It was always these days the kids looked forward to.

Sian had mixed thoughts about this. _If only the children weren't emotionally neglected or emotionally abused in their own homes, they would have a better... Future. The shapeshifter's custom of the parent hating their child was cruel. Just because the children were half-human shouldn't make them unlovable. They were still their children!_ Shaking off the pessimism, Sian looked on the bright side. _At least I'm trying to prevent this by introducing the humans as less dangerous and more lovable._

Reaching a moonlit clearing, Sian turned around and walked backwards. The kids lived near each other so, Sian went west. Spinning back around to face onward, she tried distracting herself. By thinking of the names of the trees and their significance... They weren't coming to her as easily today.

She was stressing herself too much. Challenging older shapeshifters and their ancient customs all morning gave her a headache. Taking care of kids **_and_** their irritating parents in the library every day gave Sian a migraine. And the weekend hike to some new place to make the children bond with each other always resulted in a sore body. This wasn't too much for a **_leader_**.

As Sian reached the shifter's settlement, she remembered something. She bent down and picked a child with the same royal skin as hers, Sian asked them, "Do you know whose chance is it for school?"

The kid took a moment to communicate with the others through their link and shook their head, "No, leader. None of us has a class with you today."

The children behind the royal shook their heads too, confirming Sian's worst thoughts.

_It's Ri-Ri._

Off went their chaperone, in a fast stride towards the forest. Leaving the nine-year-olds to walk back to their trees alone. They lived in trees.

The children stared at their leader and teacher. _She is one forgetful leader,_ the royal's thoughts echoed. Followed by an innocent titter in the rest of the children's heads.

_And she always asks as if there are seven of us_ , Eri returned.

Watching their classmates walk to their tree, three friends stood in the same spot they were left in.

One was the royal, Luc. They had pale white skin with golden markings all over. The markings were the same as their leader, a snake-skin glowing tattoo of sorts. It made the royals look more intimidating than the rest of the shifter population.

The second was Eri, a child born by a royal. Yet, Eri looked like the rest of the normal children their age. Eri's only defining feature was how their face curved. It made their emerald eyes seem nurturing. Until they rested on anyone royal, that is. Then, their eyes turned scornful and shook anyone who thought of Eri as a mere friendly child. Eri was prideful but nurturing so, they made sure to not hurt their friend Luc too much. Still, everyone considered Eri a bully.

The bully had a quiet supporter in Fae. They were quiet, always, and only spoke if necessary. The only exception was their friends and sometimes, the leader. Although Fae hadn't told anyone, they thought of these people as their family. So, Fae was the one who took the time to make everyone stop complain about the bully's and the royal's antics. Fae always considered themself a true diplomat.

The silence was deafening, even to the serene Fae. _Something's fishy,_ Eri projected to the group and finally broke the silence that fell on them. _There must be another child._

They all gasped in unison at such a shocking theory. It's not like there were many children. There must hardly be 10 children in the realm. For the curious kids, this was getting to be too much of a mystery to not find a child that was hidden by their leader.

Eri started, _Let's fol--_

The royal blood interrupted the group's plans. Luc said to the rest of the pale-skinned-children, _I agree with what Eri says. I've already known that this must be why Sian asks us such silly questions. But I certainly won't associate myself with the troublesome lot. As you know, my parents--_

Eri interrupted in turn, saying in a soft yet exasperated tone, "We know, Luc. You're one of the chosen royals and as such, you will be under surveillance at all times."

Eri turned before anyone could see the pity and guilt play on their face. Luc's only mistake and advantage were being born with shimmery white-gold skin. But it was always too late to stop Eri's sharp tongue.

Eri shouted at Fae, "Are you coming?!"

_Didn't have to ask, I'd always choose you,_ thought Fae.

Within seconds, Eri and Fae shifted into snowy owls. They took to the sky and spread out their wings. Spotting their teacher quite fast, they followed her into the forest. Right to a large banyan tree.

Eri stared, _These are--_

_Quite rare,_ Fae finished Eri's thought. They were both surprised. Banyan trees symbolized wisdom and many more things. As far as the friends remembered, only the leader had one.

This one was bigger and looked more parasitic than the one their teacher lived in.

It was a little too much for the kids to take in and they forgot what they were here for. Marvelling at the beauty that the tree held, Fae flapped their wings and perched on a branch. The owl puffed out their chest in obvious happiness. A glow shone around the bird, making Eri stop in their tracks.

_So Fae likes trees, huh? I'll keep that in mind for later,_ Eri thought about their crush for a second too long. They crashed into a small leaf that was falling in the autumn wind.

Fae opened their eyes and looked at their friend, hooting in amusement. Shaking the leaf off, Eri tried not to look frazzled.

Taking the reins to their brain again, Eri glided past the distracted owl. They landed on the entrance of a red wooden door.

Listening in on the occupants was quite easy. The door was open ajar.

The best way to hide was camouflage and Eri changed into a chameleon first. Following them, Fae changed too. Quickly shuffling in, the friends scanned the premises.

_It's small,_ thought Fae to themself.

_It's a full-blown human house!_ Eri screamed in Fae's brain, making them scrunch up their face. The walls looked like the inside of the tree, the furniture made of wood, and all other things looked strange. _How she can like such dirt, I'll never know,_ Fae gave a faint scoff while keeping this thought to themself.

Just as Fae was going to politely point out that the house looked quite outdated compared to the library, there were noises.

Pushing themselves against the walls, the kids kept quiet. And watched the scene unfold.

A royal stepped out of a room, the leader, dragging a child towards the door. The child was like Eri and Fae. Normal. Another person came out of the room, looking disoriented. It was someone they saw quite frequently beside the leader. Someone they almost missed standing in the shadows, no one knew how. With that royal skin, no one should be able to forget them.

"Diane, I'm taking Ri-Ri to the library. And that's that."

The woman, Diane, shook her head. "Give me my child back!"

"Ri-Ri needs to learn. I've always let you do what you want about Ri's other activities and such. I get the final say in their education!!"

"What gives you the right--"

"What gives me the right? I'm the aunt!"

The dishevelled royal took a deep breath and said, "No. What gives you the right to steal **my** child away into your library at **_night!_** "

The child snickered and said, "I'm mine, alright. I'm Ri-Ri's."

All many eyes rested upon Ri-Ri in varying levels of shock. The child didn't look crazy, but what was that?

"See! Ri-Ri is so intelligent and you're letting it go to waste by hiding Ri in here."

Diane looked angry enough to smack the leader.

"I'm protecting my child. That's all I'm doing. You should try to understand. The villagers are already so hurtful to me for the child's birth. What can you say to innocent children when they pick on a freak who radiates with magic? **Nothing**."

The children against the wall shuddered at the woman's voice. It had turned ice cold. They gulped in fear when the leader stepped towards the woman.

Sian's eyes showed how certain she was as she said, "They're smarter than anyone gives them credit for. By introducing the human world to them, I'm sure they've understood. That discrimination and segregation are cruel. They are better than us." She hesitated for a second, "better than me."

The leader's shoulders slumped and she sat on the floor. She was having a meltdown, crying all over the place. Looking completely lost, she touched Diane's feet. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness but please, think of your child. Ri-Ri deserves the best and I'm doing everything I can to make our realm better for them. The kids seem ready to accept magic. They seem smart and the only child I've worried about is Eri."

Eri took a sharp gasp. Luckily, no one noticed. The sobbing was too loud.

"Eri might seem like they hate the royals, the special ones, but they take special care of everyone. All Eri has are empty words because Eri doesn't mean them. They realize how much it hurts to be special. Inside, Eri is as warm as any."

Eri shook in pain. How could their teacher know all this? All they'd spent was 6 days together in total. Eri's deepest secrets and insecurities (stuff that they wouldn't admit to themselves). All exposed through a ** _mere meltdown!_**

Boiling with rage, Eri took a step towards the family. And froze. The child was staring at both of them and their eyes looked different. Like they could see through the camouflage.

In a small voice, they said, "I'd suggest you get to the library through the hidden passageway under us."

The adults gave a shocked expression with the accompanying "ooh"s and "ahh"s.

They chuckled and shook their heads, "Always surprise us, that's you." Their faces broke into perfect smiles and Sian's tears get rubbed off by her shirt sleeve.

The leader got up and approached the both of them. Their hearts stopped.

_This wasn't planned._

Reaching their faces, the leader bent and released a latch. The wooden floor fell, making a ramp that lead to the dark hallway.

Mumbling to herself, Sian went down the hallway towards the library.

"Finally, she's gone. That sister of mine can't stop yapping."

Turning towards a chair that looked like it was made of stone, the woman sat. She sighed, "You can drop the disguise, Ri. No one is around. I'm sorry that you have to do this every time she comes. You must understand me."

"I mustn't, mother. We still have guests."

The kids gulped. They started inching towards the door as quietly as possible.

The child was farther away, but faster. They glided towards the door and slammed it shut. Pointing to where the friends stood, "They are in chameleon forms."

The woman rose with anger vibrating through every pore. She took a menacing step forward. The kids changed back into their original forms in fear of what the powerful woman might do to them.

"We'll leave. We won't tell anyone. Please let us leave," pleaded Fae.

Eri felt guilty for what was happening. They've never seen Fae apologize so grievously. It was as if Fae understood the mother more than anyone else in the world.

"I'm certain that they aren't lying. Let's let them go instead of handing them over to Sian."

Again, eyes stared at the strange, smart child. After a moment, Diane huffed a "go now."

The kids got out just in time and stood there for a few seconds. When they heard the words "father" from the child and angry words from the mother again, they walked off.

It was time to go back home. Where they would contemplate about the child for some time.

That night, the child realized something. Their mother hated their father as much as she hated their "strange magic". With that in Ri-Ri's mind, they completely forgot about the other guests in their house that night.

The kids couldn't forget, though. They'd seen magic for the first time, something they used to believe was evil. So, of course, they couldn't forget a single thing from that night. Because they had a feeling that magic wasn't so bad.

* * * * * * * * * *

_ The Malfoy Manor _

The first two days with the lion was heaven for Draco. The lion nodded his head and shook his head, seeming very intelligent. He even chose his name, nodding for the name Siel after they went through 20 different names.

The problems started on the day the boy noticed the thin lion looking thinner. Siel hadn't eaten a single piece of meat that the 'house-elves' held to him.

The room assigned to Siel was big. There was a large dog-bowl that overflowed with old meat when Draco stepped into his lion's room. The smell of death and blood made him cover his mouth. The stench was so bad that Draco was at the point of retching.

"Urgh," he mumbled and stared into the room, dazed. The lion was sat near a window that spanned the whole wall.

Hearing Draco, Siel lifted his head and looked at him with sadness.

Draco being a child, couldn't understand what was wrong. _Maybe the sadness is because the prison is making the lion thinner,_ thought Draco. He'd be sad too, in a large golden cage. Even if the extravagance was remarkable, it was a cage nonetheless.

Draco opened the door wide, a hint for the lion to come out of his cage for a little while. As Draco stepped back, he crashed into something solid. He looked up and saw his father, face contorted in rage.

"I've let a useless lion stay, although he won't scare anyone with his size. I've prepared all this for this creature and what does he do?" Lucius shouted loud enough for the entire house to know what was happening, "He doesn't eat the meat that I give him. I've spent too much on this thing for you Draco. Either he eats today or I set him free."

Pushing his son aside, Lucius strides into the room. He grabs the cat's nape and starts pulling him away from the window and towards the reeking meat.

_My best friend was a rabbit! I can't eat this!!_

Slamming his walking stick against the porcelain floor, Lucius shouts, "Eat, Siel!!"

Utter pin drop silence falls. Siel looks at Lucius in shock. _How does he know what my name is? He isn't supposed to care._ The cub takes a step back and shifted his attention to the meat. Eyes hardening with hate, Siel glared at Lucius.

_I don't care what you do,_ his eyes said, _I won't be eating meat._

He growled when he saw Lucius raise his walking stick. _He didn't hurt his son with the stick in my journey as a soul in the other universe. Why is he doing this in our universe? Is it because of **me?** Have I changed the world so much by just entering the human realm for my mission?_

Such thoughts moved through the lion's brain as he saw the stick whooshing through the air in slow motion. When the stick hit the lion's side with as little power as possible, it still hurt. But Siel knew in that second, why the man hit him.

_He's worried about his son. He's controlling and has a sick way of showing it, but I understand now. I was wrong. Lucius cares about his son as much as any father. If I don't eat the meat, Draco will worry. As per them, I'll die. Leaving Draco in pain because of this. He might even blame himself for not understanding his only "true friend". He's trying to take the self-blame away from his son. He'd rather his son hate him than himself._

Staggering back from this discovery, Siel growled in hate. At himself, for being a hypocrite. Siel hated it when people assumed things about him/Ri-Ri. Yet, Siel had pre-judged a man that he'd barely understood. Sure, as Ri-Ri, he'd looked at Lucius make many mistakes, dumb actions. _But they are only actions. I've never cared to look into the whys._

There was guilt in the lion's eyes as he heard painful sobs. The cloudy grey eyes shifted from the guilty father to the crying son. Although Siel had enjoyed the house, the lion had to leave. For everyone's sake.

Knowing that Ri-Ri made a huge mistake by coming to the Malfoys as the carnivore Siel, they fled that second.

Vowing to not make any more of these mistakes, the lion changed into a human once they reached the middle of some woods.

_Back to looking like a human girl,_ thought a white-haired girl with silver-grey eyes. Her messy hair looked unkempt and stopped at her nape. Some freckles dotted her skin, which the girl liked a lot.

Finding a house, the girl with the named Ria Ray Rourdemond entered it. She stole some clothes and planned a trip to return to the rich orphanage a mile away. Her temporary home before her mistake at the Malfoy Manor.

_All I can hope for is that I've changed history for the better,_ thought the sad girl. 

~~

Needless to say, Ria had recovered from the unusual bout of pessimism relatively quick. All that was left after that was inactivity.

That brought her here.

  
Spying was... Boring, to say the least. And it'd been just half an hour since Ria decided that she was going to spy on the Malfoys.

All she'd noticed was how tense the atmosphere was. Draco wouldn't look at his father. Narcissa wouldn't look at him either. They were going into a silent strike against Lucius.

The most curious thing was how guilty yet confused Lucius looked. He wasn't carrying around that stick either.

_He's funny when it comes to love, isn't he?_ Thought Ria as she hid behind a bush. The Malfoy estate was huge and covered with thorny shrubs, thus it wasn't the best place to spy from. The glass Ria was looking through was fancy too. She wasn't used to humans yet. Both their world and their foolishness.

She shrugged, and as if it was an easy decision, started walking to the front entrance. _I guess I'll have to help._

Knocking hard against the door, she stepped back. A cold breeze blew her paper-thin baby blue dress to one side. Ria huffed in annoyance, and summoned her earth magic around herself. Satisfied with the warm cacoon around her, she smiled. In time to see the door open. Daisy stood there, shivering in her dainty rags. Ria grimaced, _one can't expect a change in a day. He's **still** treating others with no respect._

Knowing she had to act, Ria stuck her nose in the air, like she had seen many do in her life. Mainly the Malfoys. _I have immense pride that... I'm me._ She tried reassuring herself, but a pep talk wasn't going to change her nature so fast. At least, not for Daisy who'd met her before.

"What are you doing here?" The house-elf made a face between anger and worry. "You've come back, for what?"

_These people always have questions,_ Ria thought to herself. _No one has been so curious about me. This probing behaviour must be quite common in this world. Another problem._

The girl having been already taught how to lie, she was ready for this. Ria spoke with ice coating her words, "I demand to talk to Lucius Malfoy. Tell him that Ria Rourdemound is here. And that it's imperative that he meet her."

Raising her head higher, Ria snorted. The act emphasizing how disdainful she thought the house-elf to be.

The house-elf's face looked surprised as she turned to walk away. Watching the being accept such harsh behaviour, as if such a thing was normal, made Ria's blood boil. _Humans really need to start respecting the harmony around them. If treating someone like this is the only way I can blend in, I'm already dreading what I'll have to do later._

But, there was no guilt in Ria's silver-grey eyes. The Shifters taught by the herd's leader were explicitly forbidden to ever feel guilt. Out of everything, the leader kept the reason a secret. Ria didn't care. She knew she'd made up her attitude by helping the house-elf before. _This would be the last time though,_ she thought, _when I speak to her like this. Or let anyone._

There was nothing to inspect in the hallways Ria stood in, devoid of any human warmth. It told the visitors to turn away if they didn't have anything urgent. Fortunately for Ria, she was sure that what she had would interest the Malfoys.

Ria was almost going to summon her earth magic to guide her but decided against it. Her magic wasn't to be trusted so many times in a day. It wasn't just earth magic, after all. She took a deep breath and waited for Daisy.

  
A crack sounded behind her and Ria turned her body so she could look behind her. Cowering near the door, Daisy looked terrified. _Lucius must have done something._ The elf said, "Please go ahead. The Master is waiting for you."

Nodding once, the pair assumed walking through the bare hallway.

Ria noticed how the creature was trailing behind her. Almost like she didn't deem herself worthy of being in front of the **_lady_**. Ria almost laughed as she slyly slowed her pace. Only to stop altogether. She looked down at the elf beside her and said, " Now, you're leading me."

She smirked when the house-elf looked surprised again. _It's cute and yet, frightening how she's surprised at the most normal things._ They turned a corner, this time, Daisy leading the way.

Ria gasped and stopped moving. _**Moving portraits!!!!** I've studied how humans like to make portraits and paintings of things that they loved. But I never thought that their small portraits could move outside Hogwarts. This house..._ Ria tried making sense, _Must be in the magical part of the human world. I can feel the magic in them. And here I thought that only Hogwarts had the moving portraits._

Pushing herself to get over the shock, Ria found herself remembering something. She remembered the class that taught her about portraits. And Love.

_**Then** _

Her aunt was hauling a large rectangular thing. It looked shiny.

"Teacher, what is that thing?" Shouted a high-pitched voiced Eri. They were in a female human form, but it looked wrong. Ri-Ri assumed Eri tried mistakenly to look like a disfigured, dying human that was near the border. No one was going to tell Eri, though. Most, scared of Eri's sudden change in behaviour. So shocked that they even smiled when Eri thought something rude to them through the mind-link. _Why the hell can't the leader shift into something stronger if she is having difficulty with that thing?_

Eri, Luc, Fae and Ri-Ri laughed at this. Only to be interrupted by their leader, "You do know that I can force my way in your secret conversations, right?"

The children looked elsewhere as if they couldn't hear their leader.

"Now, come help me carry this, Eri."

Eri's human cheeks flamed red. And the child looked ready to smack Luc. All for offering the human-shaped Eri a hand down.

The whole class snickered as they saw Eri lose their temper for a little bit. Eri was still Eri, after all. They all sighed as the child climbed down their seat on the large fig tree they were all sat on.

Eri helped the teacher hold the thing upright, against a tree. Caressing it, the teacher spoke, "This will be the first and last class that I will ever conduct on our field days. This will be a secret that you can't tell anyone. Especially your parents. That's because it's about love. Some--"

A loud gasp came from Luc at the mention of today's topic, their skin shimmering with hits of red. It was odd. None of the kids knew what this meant. But, remembering their etiquette and manners lessons, they turned their gaze towards Sian.

Their teacher looked confused as well. The kids knew they wouldn't get answers from their teacher about the little incident. Of a royal's skin shining with a red rather than golden hue.

Trying to divert the attention from Luc, Ri-Ri said, "And what is that thing?"

The teacher smiled and stepped behind the bulky thing. "This," she said, hugging it close to her skin, "is a painting. A declaration actually, of Love."

* * * * * * * * *

Walking down the hallway, Ria felt the painting's gazes slowly losing the love that they held. The first few looked like they contained declarations of love. Some even looked like normal portraits by magicless humans.

As Ria got closer to an archway, she saw the faces start to hold disdain, pride, and hate. Reaching for positivity, she thought, _at least there's proof that they have love._ Referring to her teachers' lesson _. A portrait means love_. But, the girl started doubting that as she reached the final painting. It looked like the most recent one. An older version of Lucius looked her down, with utmost disgust filling his eyes, he said, "and who are you?"

She steeled herself and spoke to the painting, "I'm Ria Rourdemound."

Ria heard a creaking door and turned her attention over. Lucius Malfoy held open the door and stepped out. He towered over her 4-foot self.

"Ria Rour... Who?" The man sighed, disappointed to have to look down. But shock soon covered his face, for he was seeing his white-blonde hair and silver eyes smirking at him.

Ria held back her laughter. It was time to bring the Malfoy to the **right** level.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This author loves all kudos and COMMENTS!!

**Author's Note:**

> This author appreciates all Kudos and Comment ( * ~ * ).


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